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If you’re moving to or from Brookline, MA it is probably a good idea to get a parking permit for your move day. Let’s be straightforward here, parking in Brookline is not nearly as much of a mess as it is in parts of Boston like the North End and Beacon Hill, but finding a spot for a large moving truck in Brookline is by no means easy. There are two major reasons to think about getting what the town calls a “Temporary Parking Permit” for your move. Most moving companies performing a local move in Brookline charge based on time. Therefore getting a parking spot for the moving truck near your building is vital in reducing the amount of time your move takes. Secondly, if the truck has to double park or park illegally it will most likely result in a ticket which you will be left paying for. Below is all the information you need on how to obtain a Parking Permit in the Town of Brookline.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you want avoid this time consuming process, DN Van Lines a local Brookline moving company, can obtain and post the parking permits for you for a reasonable cost. As a experienced Brookline mover, this is something we handle on a daily basis.

You can’t miss the Brookline Town Hall. It looks like a huge cement cube (look right). Make your way up to the fourth floor where you will find the D.P.W. Transportation Division. Although the office is lightly staffed, we have found that the Town employees are very friendly and want to help. The Transportation Division is one stop shop for all of your parking permit needs. The entire process doesn’t take more than 15 minutes or so as long as clerk isn’t already held up with someone else.

When to Obtain Moving Parking Permit:

The office of the Transportation Division is open 9 to 5 AM on weekdays. You can get the parking permits for your move upto the day before. Make sure to get it a few days before if you are moving on a Sunday or on a holiday as the office will be closed the day prior. Unlike Boston where you are required to post signs 48 hours in advance, in Brookline you are not even allowed to post the “No Parking / Tow Zone” signs until the night before the move at 6 PM. Although it would seem that this would not be a very effective method in giving vehicle owners enough notice to move their cars, it seems to work out fairly well.

How Much Brookline Move Parking Permits Cost:

The “No Parking / Tow Zone” signs cost $5.00 a piece. If you are going to reserve a metered space then there is an additional fee of $10.00 per day per meter. The number of signs you need depends on the amount of space you want reserved which is dictated by the size of the moving truck you have coming. Here are the measurement guidelines:

The Town of Brookline states that you can attach the parking permit signs to only sign poles, meter heads, telephone poles, and trees. The attachment method may include tape, twine, and rope but may not include nails or staples. You must make sure that your reserved parking does not block a drive way or crosswalk. Signs may not be posted within 10’ of fire hydrants and 20’ of intersections. You are also prohibited from covering existing parking permit signs or reusing or altering signs.

On The Day of your Brookline Move:

It is smart to check the reserved parking spots early the day of your move to make sure they have are clear of vehicles. Unfortunately the Town doesn’t give vehicle owners a lot of notice to move their cars so you may need to get the vehicle blocking your spot towed. If this occurs you should contact the following numbers:

Keep in mind that Brookline will attempt to contact the vehicle owner first to give them a chance to move their vehicle. If they can not reach them then a tow truck will be dispatched. This process can take an hour or more so it’s a good idea to give yourself plenty of lead time.

After the Move in Brookline:

After the move is complete make sure to take down the signs you posted. They are only effective during the time you requested them. Make sure to clean the area for moving debris and trash so that you do not get fined by the Town of Brookline.

If you live in one of the main neighborhoods in Boston such as the North End, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, or South End then you know how difficult it is to find parking. When dealing with a large vehicle like a moving truck, it becomes near impossible to find a place to park. Since most moving companies charge based on the amount of time your move takes, you want the moving truck parked as close to the entrance to your building as possible. You also want to avoid having to pay tickets that the movers receive for double parking or non resident parking. Luckily the city of Boston does allow residents to obtain parking permits for their relocations (We say luckily because some cities like NYC do not). Below is all the information you need on how to obtain a Parking Permit for your Boston move.

When to Obtain Boston Permit:

If you’re trying to reserve parking in a residential area permits must be obtained at least 3 days before your move. If you are moving on a Sunday, a permit must be obtained no later than the previous Thursday. The signs themselves must be posted a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your move in order to give owners of the cars parked on your street sufficient notice to move their cars. Although from a politeness perspective we really do recommend that you post the signs much earlier than 48 hours in advance. We have run into a few situations where one of our customers had a car towed only to find out that it belonged to a friendly neighbor who hadn’t check on it for a day or two.

If you’re trying to reserve parking in a metered area permits must be obtained 2 days in advance, with signs posted a minimum of 24 hours before your move. Less notice is required for reserving metered spaces because people can’t leave their car there for extended periods of time.

Where to Obtain Boston Parking Permit:

Boston City Hall
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201

Unfortunately Street Occupancy Permits must be obtained in person at Boston City Hall, and cannot be obtained by telephone, mail, or online. The good news is you don’t necessarily have to go yourself. A friend, partner, or family member can get it for you as long as they have proper funds and paperwork. Another option is to have your Boston moving company (such as DN Van Lines) obtain the permit for you.

The application process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the time of the year. During the busy summer months when everyone is moving, wait times can last upwards of an hour. Office hours are 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday, except for when City Hall is closed due to federal holidays.

Once you are in City Hall go first to the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) located in Room 721. You will need to fill out a Traffic Approval Form and have it processed by BTD. You will then take the approved form to the Public Works Department (PWD) located in Room 715 of City Hall. This is where you get the Street Occupancy Permit itself as well as the signs that you will need to post in order for the movers to have parking.

How Much a Move Parking Permit Costs:

The cost of the permit is based on the size of the truck. There is a base fee of $50.00 with an additional fee of $1 per square foot based on the size of the truck and the space needed to load/unload. The base fee is for 40 feet of reserved space. This should be sufficient unless you have a tractor trailer coming for your move. 40 feet is plenty of space to park a local moving truck.

Signs must be purchased at a cost of $4.00 each with a minimum of two “No Parking” signs required. For occupancy of metered spaces there is an additional payment of $20.00 per meter head per day. Applicants must supply the department with the individual parking meter numbers. These numbers are two letters followed by three digits (AB 123). The meter charge is waived on Sundays. If the occupancy is only for late evening or nighttime hours, then inquire with the BTD to try and get the fee waived. All fees are payable by check, money order, or cash.

Other Things to Know About Boston Move Permits:

When you get your permit the BTD will give you a flyer outlining all the information that someone who is currently parked where you are reserving space needs to know. You are required to make multiple copies of this flyer and post it on doorways and vehicles within about a 20 ft radius of where you are reserving parking for your moving truck. This needs to be done each day for at least two days prior to your move date. It can become taxing to do this but it is common courtesy to let your neighbors know that if they don’t move their cars so that your moving company can park, that their car will be towed.

On the Day of the Move:

If on the day of your move you find that a vehicle is still parked where you reserved parking then you should call the police at 617-343-4911. Inform the police that it is not an emergency and give them the plate number for the vehicle. The police will run the plate and attempt to contact the vehicle owner. If after a while they can reach the owner they will call in a tow truck. Please keep in mind that this can take a long time, often over an hour. Be smart and check a few hours before the moving crew arrives and make the call then, instead of waiting for the last minute.

Once the movers arrive and are parked there is not much you need to do other than use your common sense. Make sure that the area is clean and clear of trash and equipment the will create a safety hazard. Make sure fire hydrants aren’t being blocked. Try to be respectful of your neighbors concerns. You don’t want your first or last impression with your neighbors to be a negative one.

After the Boston Move:

When the move is over you are required to clean the area thoroughly. You have to remove both the signs you put up and the flyers that you distributed. If anything City property was damages during the move you are required to inform PWD and may be held responsible for the associated costs. Also any City property that has been removed during the move must be replaced. This includes parking signs, traffic signals, control boxes, underground conduit and crosswalks and other pavement markings.

If you’re going to be moving from, to, or around Boston you’re probably going to need a Street Occupancy Permit, commonly referred to as a Parking Permit. Living in areas such as the North End, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, or South End, you know that parking can be really tight. Trying to find a parking space for your car can be difficult so imagine how hard it can be to find parking for a moving truck.

The process involves pounding the pavement to visit different city government offices, filling out paperwork, paying fees, and posting the Parking Permit signs ahead of time. To make things even more time consuming and complicated different areas surrounding Boston such as Cambridge, Brookline, Quincy, and Somerville have their own procedure for obtaining Parking Permits for moving. Over the next couple of blog posts we here at The Savvy Mover are going to detail the procedure for obtaining parking permits in Boston and its surrounding areas.